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Consumers aren't convinced by corporate environmental efforts, according to a poll by Gibbs & Soell Public Relations. Just 16% of consumers believe most businesses are committed to going green, the study found, and fewer than half believe that any companies have credible environmental policies in place. Even CEOs are skeptical about the business community's environmental ethic: less than a third of executives believe most companies are committed to sustainable business practices.

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A Harris Interactive poll commissioned by Gibbs & Soell Public Relations indicates that consumers aren't persuaded by businesses that tout a commitment to environmental sustainability. However, a poll of Fortune 1000 company executives found that 71% feel that consumers are unwilling to "pay a premium for green products or services." "I don't think enough companies are doing all they can to communicate their green efforts," said Ron Loch, senior vice president for greentech & sustainability at Gibbs & Soell.

A Harris Interactive poll commissioned by Gibbs & Soell Public Relations indicates that consumers aren't persuaded by businesses that tout a commitment to environmental sustainability. However, a poll of Fortune 1000 company executives found that 71% feel that consumers are unwilling to "pay a premium for green products or services." "I don't think enough companies are doing all they can to communicate their green efforts," said Ron Loch, senior vice president for greentech & sustainability at Gibbs & Soell.

Current solar technologies struggle to squeeze more than a single useful electron out of each photon they capture, but researchers are working on new techniques that could radically improve solar devices' efficiency. Scientists are using nanotechnology to develop superconducting materials that can reduce the amount of solar energy lost as heat, increasing the electrons-to-photons ratio and significantly improving the performance of solar arrays.

Vehicles could soon be given school-style letter grades reflecting their fuel economy in a bid to make efficiency statistics more comprehensible to consumers. No vehicles would receive "F" grades under the plan, but only the most efficient electric and hybrid vehicles would receive top marks. "We want to help buyers find vehicles that meet their needs, keep the air clean and save them money at the pump," said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson.

Major commercial lenders are increasingly deciding not to finance projects with significant environmental risk, fearing harm to their profit and reputation. Bank of America, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo are tightening up their evaluation of mountaintop mining projects or simply declining to finance them.